Electroplating apparatus



May 14, 1929. 1, L, MUJICA 1,712,674

ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l :MEM l fi'N hill W i T N E S5 INVENTOR @www ATTORNEYS May 14, 1929. J, L, vWHJJKA1,712,674

ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wl TN ESSINVENTOR Jasf ws MaJ/CA Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOS LUIS MUJICA, F EAST GRANGE, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTBOPLATING APPARATUS.

Application led July 30,

This invention relates to that class of electroplating apparatus knownas the barrel type, in which the articles to be plated are dumpedloosely into a perforated container which is caused to revolve in a tankcontaining the electroplating solution. Cathode contacts in thecontainer are connected electrically with a source of current and thearticles to be plated make contact with them and with each other, whichcontacts are continually shifting from one point to another ot thearticles, as the container, in its rotation, produces a tumblingmovement of the articles, with the result that a uniform deposit isSecured.

According to the illustrated embodiment of my present inventionythecontainer is supported byf a carrier which is permanently mounted ontrunnions at one side ot the electroplating tank so that the containermay 20 either rest in an oblique position in the tank or he tipped upfor the purpose of discharg ing the articles. A throat piece at one endot the container serves as a means of charging and discharging thearticles without danger of the articles being projected against thedriving mechanism. The throat piece serves also as a support for thecontainerand is journaled in the carrier and rotated by mechanismconnecting it with a driving shait coaxial with carrier trunnions, sothat by rocking the carrier on its trunnions it, together with thecontainer7 may be tipped up to dump the work into a receptacle outsidethe tank. The driving mechanism is such that all the parts remain ingear at all positions of the container.

The following is a detailed description of my invention, with referenceto the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a vertical axialsection ot the electroplating apparatus;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, partially sectioned.

At 1 is shown an electroplating tank in which are hung anodes 2. At oneside ot the tank and either supported on it as shown. or adjacent to it,is a support 3. .Tournaled in the support is a horizontal driving shaft.4, having at one end tight and loose pulleys 5. A carrier 6 hastrunnions 7 journaled on the horizontal shaft 4 in such a manner thatthe carrier can be rocked to and fro thereon. The carrier comprises alarge annular journal bearing. divided into a lower half 6 and upperhalf 6, the two being secured together by bolts 8. The permeablecontainer 9 has a 1926. Serial No. 125,841.

tubular throat piece 10 provided with an annular ]ournal 11 on itsoutside,'which journal has an annular rib or collar 12 running in acentraly groove 6 in the journal bearing 6', 6". The throat piece 10also has an annular gear 13. on its outer periphery, which gear mesheswith another gear 14; carried by a shaft 15, journaled in the carrier.The shaft 15 carries aiworm wheel 16, which is driven by`a worm or screw17 on the sh aft 4. The throat piece 10 serves not only as a support forthe container 9, hut also provides an opening through which the work maybe introduced to and discharged from the container. The throat piece mayhave a flaring mouth at its outer rim and suitable flanges forattachment to the container. The axis of the container is substantrallyperpendicular to a plane through the pivotal point ot the container,being the axis et shaft 4 as illustrated, whereby the container may beinserted into and removed from the tank in the plane of said axis.

It will be seen that the mechanism just described furnishes a means forrotating the container from a horizontal shaft runnin'gin fixedbearings, and that this rotative operatlon of the container permits thetipping of the container to raise it from an operating position in theelectrolyte in the tank to draining and discharging positions alcove andwithout the tank. and conversely. A handle 18, attached to carrier (i.enables the operator to raise and lower the container without stoppingthe rotation thereof. At 19 is shown a cathode support attached to thecarrier 6, and extending through the throat piece 10 to the interior ofthe container where cathodes 20 depend from said support into the lowerpart of the container so as to make contact with the work therein. Thecontainer 9 may be made, as shown in Figure l, of a double conoidalshape, one of the conoidal sections 21 being perforated and longer thanthe other and forming the main body of the container. The other conoidalpart 22 is shorter and is made sufficiently rugged to form a strong basefor attachment to the supporting throat piece l0. With a container soshaped there is a tendency for the work to drift from the small end tothe large end, especially as the container is held in such a positionwhile plating as to have its lower part inclined downwardly from thesmall end. The work after being thus moved rearwardly is then carried upon the sides ot the container and tumbled forward toward the smallerend. In this way a longitudinal as Well as a circumferential circulationof the work is maintained, which is an advantage in getting a uniformdeposit of metal. To hold the container in its propel' position in theelectrolyte in the tank, I provide a stop which may consist of a lug 23,on

A the carrier 6, which comes to rest against the top of tlie abutmentformed by an adjusting screw 24, which is mounted on the tank or otherstationary support. At is shown a latch pivoted at 26 on the carrier ,6,and

stop the rotation of the container during 25 charging, draining ordischarging. In fact, it is desirable to keep the same in motion duringthese operations. It is also an advantage to keep the container rotatingwith its axis near the horizontal for a short while, to

cause the drainage from the container and work to fall into the tank.

Having now described my invention what I claim is 1. An electroplatingapparatus comprising a stationary tank, a permeable container, a carrierfor saine suspended on trunnions at one side of said tank, mechanism forrotating the container, and a throat piece at one end of the `containerextending beyond the rotative mechanism, whereby the carrier with thecontainer and its throat piece may be tipped on said trunnions from areceiving position in the tank to a position without the tank todischarge its contents clear of the rotating mechanism. Y

2. An electroplating apparatus comprising a stationary tank, a permeablecontainer, a carrier for same, a driving shaft upon which said carrieris journaled, a throat piece at one end of the container opening throughand beyond said carrier, means for tipping the carrier with thecontainer and its throat piece on said drivin shaft from a receivingposition in the tarigk to a discharge angle without the tank, andmechanism on the carrier for rotating the container from the drivingshaft.

l3. An electroplating apparatus comprising a stationary tank, apermeable container, a carrier for same trunnioned on a horizontaldriving shaft at one'side of said tank, means on the carrier connectedwith said drivin shaft for rotating the container in the tan on an axisat an angle to the horizontal, a throat piece at one end of thecontainer opening through said carrier and 'ournaled therein, and meansfor tipping t e carrier with the container and its throat piece aboutthe axis of the said shaft from a receiving .'ition in the tank to adischarge angle witldiit the tank.

' 4. An electroplating apparatus comprising a stationary tank, apermeable container having a throat piece at one end, a carrier throughwhich the throat piece projects and in which it is journalcd, ahorizontal driving shaft at one side of said tank on which said carrieris journaled, an annular driving gear on the outside of the throatpiece, means for driving said gear from said shaft, and means fortipping the carrier with the container about the axis of the said shaftfrom a receiving position in the tank to a discharge angle without thetank.

5. An electroplating apparatus comprisin a stationary' tank, ahorizontal drivin sha t on one side of said tank, a carrier gor thecontainer journaled on said shaft, a throat piece attached to andsupportin the container, an annular journal on the t roat piece rotativein an annular journal bearing on the carrier, and mechanism on thecarrier for rotating the container, the said throat extend ing throughsaid mechanism and said annular bearing whereby the contents of thecontainer may be discharged clear of the'mechanism.

6. An electroplating apparatus comprisin astationary tank, a horizontaldri sha on one side of said tank, a permeab e container, a carrier forthe container journaled on said shaft, a throat piece at one end of thecontainer attached to and supporting the container, the said throatpiece extendin through the carrier and being journal therein, mechanismon the carrier for rotating the container, and a cathode supported onsaid carrier and extending through the throat and into the container inposition to make contact with objects being plated, the container beingrotative around the cathode.

7. An clectroplating apparatus comprising a stationary tank, a permeablecontainer, a carrier for same suspended on trunnions at one side of saidtank, mechanism for rotating the container, a throat piece at one end ofthe container extending through the cari'ier and beyond the rotativemechanism, means for tipping the carrier with the container and itsthroat piece on said trunnions from a receiving ition in the tank to adischarge angle wit out the tank, a stationary abutment, and a stop onsaid carrier adapted to rest on said abutment and hold the container atthe proper angle in the tank.

8. An electroplating apparatus comprising a stationary tank, a permeablecontainer, a carrier for same suspended on trunnions at one side of saidtank mechanism for rotating the container, a throat piece at one end Aioof the container extending through the carrier and beyond the rotativemechanism, means for tipping the carrier with the container and itsthroat piece on said trunnions from a receiving position in the tank toa discharge angle without the tank, and an adjustable stop for thecarrier adapted to hold the container at the proper position in thetank.

9. An electroplating apparatus comprising a stationary tank, 'apermeable containera carrier for same suspended on trunnions at one sideof said tank, mechanism for rotating the container, a throat piece atthe upper end of the container extending through the carrier and beyondthe rotative mechanism, means for tipping the carrier with the'containeron said trunnions from a receiving position in the tank to a dischargeangle without the tank, and a latch engaging the earrier to hold thesame in the dischargeposition.

10. An electroplating apparatus comprising a tank, a permeab e containerrotatable therein on an axis "inclined to the horizontal, and means atits upper end for driving the container, the said container consistingessentially of two conoidal portions joined at their bases. p

11. An electroplating apparatus comprising a tank, a'perlneablecontainer rotatable therein on an axis inclined to the horizontal, andmeans at its upper end for driving the container, the said containercomprising essentially two conoidal portions joined at their bases, thelower conoidal portion being longer axially than the upper portion.

12. An electroplating apparatus comprising a tank, a permeable containerrotatable therein on an axis inclined to the horizontal, means at itsupper endv for driving the container, the said container comprisingessentially two conoidal portions joined at their bases, the lowerconoidal portion being longer n axially than the upper portion, and astop for holding the container with the lower surface inclined downwardfrom the small end.

JOS Luis MUJIGA.

